Sony RDP-M15iP

The basics

From the front, the Sony RDP-M15iP looks like any other iPod dock. It's a long, slim device, with a cradle in the centre for your Apple iPod or iPhone. Unlike lots of docks, however, it also features a surprising long battery life, and the cradle folds smaller for better portability.

The good

The Sony RDP-M15iP features neat styling, where design points on the front and back can be retracted to make it smaller and more easy to carry in a bag. The cradle mechanism on the front for your iPod can be popped back flush with the speaker grill, and the stand on the rear also retracts. The result is slimline and smooth, and won't snag on anything inside your rucksack.

Despite first appearances, the Sony RDP-M15iP is designed to be portable, letting you take advantage of the slimline form factor. There's a rechargeable battery, and we got comfortably over five hours of run time from a single change.

Buttons on the dock itself are limited, aiding the smooth and clean design, but there's also a remote control for better access to your iPod's music collection.

We found the Sony RDP-M15iP perfectly capable when it came to volume, with loud music and no sign of distortion. There's also plenty of bass, which is a bonus considering the small design.

The bad

There's no separate screen to show menus on your iPod or iPhone, but then again this is unlikely to detract much from the user experience. It's just as easy to view music collections on the device itself, and the lack of display also helps the battery life.

Although audio is loud and free from distortion, we've heard better iPod docks when it comes to sound quality. Unfortunately, the Sony RDP-M15iP really struggles to separate different frequencies, with music tending to sound like heavy noise – rather than offering individual instruments or sounds.

The bottom line

If it's a portable dock you're after, the Sony RDP-M15iP is worth a look. The battery life alone makes it a great choice for frequent travellers or those wanting louder music when there's no access to power. Unfortunately, it comes at a price, with audio quality lacking slightly.